Plate finishing and trimming machine.



H. F. BEGHMAN.

PLATE FINISHING AND TBIMMING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. e, 1911,

Llgyg, Patented M3122, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

HlA Rw w THE NORRIS PETERS C0., PHDTC-LITHO.. WASHINGTUN. D. C.

H. F. BBCHMAN.

PLATE FINISHING AND TRIMMING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 6, 1911.

Lm9,%@ Patented Mar. 2, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

. p mmm/0% I' La/Lavanda www H. P. BECHMAN.

PLATE FINISHING AND TRIMMING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 6, 1911. LN 29,9%. Patented Mar. 2, 1915.

`4 SHBETS'SHBET 3.

M f f N f/ V v XE @u QM SM NSN THE NORRIS PETERS CO., PH'""G-LITHO., WSHINGNN, D4 C.

H. F. BEGHMAN.

PLATE PINISHING AND TRIMMING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JANJi, 1911. A l @9,94% Patent-,ea Mar. 2, 1915.

LSHEBTS-'SHEET 4.

AA AAAW- mllllllll i ri- HENRY F. BCI-IMAN, OF BATTLE CREEK, MICHIGAN, .ASSIGrNOR T0 DUPLEX PRINTING PRESS COMPANY, OF BATTLE CREEK, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

PLATE FINISHING- AND TRIMMING- MACHINE.

Application filed January 6, 1911.

Be it` known that I, HENRY F. BnoHMAN, of Battle Creek, in the county of Calhoun and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Plate Finishing `and Trimming Machines; and I hereby declare that the following is a full,

clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,

which form part of this specification.

This 4inventionis a novel machine for finishing tubular stereotype plates ysuch as are used in rotary yprinting presses of the type shown in Patents Number 867,230 and Number 867,231 granted to lmy assignee October 1,1907. And the object of this i'nvention is to provide a novel machine in which such tubular plates can be truly shaved, so as to accurately fit the plate cylinders, and beveled at lthe ends so as to be of proper length, and thus be finished ready to be immediately placed upon a plate cylinder, after removal from the machine.

The invention consists in the novel construction of parts and combinations of parts in the machine as hereinafter described, and the features for which protection is desired and in which the invention consists are summarized in the appended claims. j

In the drawings-Figure l is a plan view of the complete plate finishing machine. Fig. 2 is an enlarged right hand end elevation thereof, the base supporting legs being broken away. Fig. 3 is an enlarged longi-i tudinal vertical section of the machine. Fig. -l is a transverse section on line 4-4L, Fig. l. Fig. is a transverse vertical sec tion on line 5-5, Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail sectional view of the 1devices for expanding and locking the plate in the plate holder. j

The base or table l, upon which the operative parts` of the machine are mounted, may be of vany desired kind. Upon this base and adjacent one end thereof are fixeda pairy of axially alined annular bearings 2, in which is rotatably mounted a tubular-plate holder 3 which is in the form of a cylinder and has a gear 8 onits end adjacent the inner bearing 2, which gear meshes with a driving gear, hereinafter referred to.

Mounted upon the plate-holder 3, inter# mediate the bearings 2, is an annular collar 3b (Figs. l-3-5) which is of a width tollt easily but closelyrbetween the bearings. 2;

specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 2, 1915.

serial No. 601,130.

- and this collar is provided with a radial slot 3 through which slot projects a lug 3d that is secured to the holder 3 by a bolt 3e, or other suitable means: And upon the collar 3b, adjacentthe lugs 3d and at one end of the slot 3, is a lug?)f through which is tapped a bolt 3g; the inner end of said bolt being adapted to contact With lug 3d; so that by turning bolt 3g into engagement with lug 3d the collar 3b maybe shifted slightly rotatorially of the holder 3. The collar 3* is .also'provided` with laterally projecting lugs 3h through which extend radially disposed yslots in which are placed pins 3i (Fig. 6) the inner ends of which project into the interior of the plate cylinder 3 through slots 3j in the holder, said slots 3j beingl of suflicient length to permit the desired Irotatorial adjustment of the collar 3b on the holder 3.v The pins 3i may be secured in position by means of bolts 3k tapped through the lugs 3h. y

)Vithin the holder 3 adjacent the pins 3i is an abutment or bar 31 which is slightly thinner' than the stereotype plates which are to be finished in the machine, and which is also slightly narrower than the width of the marginal'slot between the adjacent ends of this plate (see Figs. 5 and 6). The tubular plates P uponl which this machine is designed to operate are of one newspaperpage in area, and are bent or curved into almost complete tubular form, so that such a plate will practically surround the plate cylinder on which it is applied; and in the preferred form of such tubular plates the narrow space or slit between the adjacent ends of the plate corresponds in width to the desired margin between successive impressionsltalren from such tubular page plate 'upon a web of paper. y`

rlfhe abutment 31 extends longitudinally of the plate and may be notched or slotted (as shown at 3 in Fig. 6) to accommodate the inner ends'of the pins 3i. When the plate kP is inthe holder'the abutment 3 and inner ends of pins Si lie within the slot in the plate, andone edgeof the slot bears against one edge of the abutment 31, and

the other edge of the slot in the plate isv at one end of, the holder 3. The gear 4a in turn meshes with a pinion 5 on a shaft 5 journaled in bearings 5b and 5 attached to the base l. Shaft 5 has a pulley 5d on its outer end which can be belted to any suitable driver; and when shaft 5 is rotated the holder 3 is also rotated in its bearings.

Mounted axially of and extending through the holder 3 is a bar 6 which is supported in brackets 6L and 6b attached to base l, and is preferably provided on its under side with a slot in which is guided a slidable rack bar 6 see Figs. 3, 4 and 5). Rack bar 6 meshes with a pinion 7 loosely mounted on a transverse shaft 7 journaled in bearings 7b on the frame adjacent the bracket 6; pinion 7 has a clutch member 7 on its outer face opposed to a clutch member 7d slidably keyed to shaft 7, member 7 d has a groove 7 engaged by a pin 7f on a lever 7g, pivoted at 7 h on a bracket 7 n attached to bar 6; and by shifting lever 7g the clutch members 7 b can be engaged with clutch member 7, or disengaged therefrom, so as to cause pinion 7 to rotate, or cease rotating, at the will of the o erator.

The shaft is driven by a worm gear 7 i on its outer end meshing with a worm P on the adjacent end of shaft 4. The rack bar 6 can be moved in one direction by the power actuated rotation of pinion 7. When the clutch members 7, 7d are thrown out of engagement, the bar 6 can be retracted by any suitable means; preferably by means of a weight 6 attached to a chain or cord 6t running over apulley 6g mounted in a bracket 6h attached to the rear end of bar 6, see Fig. 3.

Slidably mounted upon the bar 6 is a toolholder 8, which is fastened to the rack bar 6 and is slid along the bar 6 by said rack bar (see Figs. 2, 3 and 5). The holder 8 carries two or more cutters 8, which may be secured thereto by screws 8b, and which are adapted to accurately and truly bore the interior of a tubular plate P secured within and rotated by the holder 3. The tool holder 8 is normally retracted out of the plate holder, but is advanced therethrough at the proper time by the power actuated movement of the rack bar 6 and is retracted therefrom by the weight actuated movement of the rack bar.

At the outer end of the holder 3 is a cutting and trimming tool 9, which is attached to a slide 9a mounted in ka guide 9b attached to the base l; said slide can be reciprocated by means of a hand operated screw 9. On the holder 9a is also mounted a second cutting and trimming tool 9; but when cutter 9 is used, cutter 9 is removed; or shifted back so that it cannot operate upon the tubular plate. The cutter 9 is intended to be used for short, or 7 column, page-plates; while the cutter 9 is to be used for cutting long, or 8 column, page-plates. A similar cutter 9m is mounted adjacent the inner end of the holder 3; being attached to a slide 9 mounted in a guide 9 attached to base l; slide 9 being reciprocated by means of a hand operated screw 9D.

To remove a finished page plate from the holder, I provide an ejector bar 10, mounted in such position that it can engage the edge of the plate, said bar 10 being guided through keepers 10, 10", attached to the brackets 6, 6b respectively. The ejector l0 can be operated by a hand lever 10 pivoted at an intermediate point 10h to the ejector, and at its inner end to a link 10, which in turn is pivoted at lOf on the casting 6.

Operation: The tubular page plates are cast in any suitable apparatus, such as described in my Patent Number 925,268 of June 15, 1909; and after the tool-holder 8 and the cutters 9, 9, 9m are retracted, and the holder 3 stopped, a tubular page plate P is slid endwise into the holder 3, with the casting head on the outer end of the plate, the plate being turned so that its slot moves past abutment 31 in the plate holder, and said abutment and pins 31 lie within the slot in the plate, as indicated in Figs. 5 and 6. The operator then turns bolt 3g so as to cause it to engage lug 3d and collar 3b on the holder 3; the holder being practically locked against rotative movement by reason of its engagement with the driving gear; the tendency however when bolt 8g is tightened, is to turn plate holder 3 in one direction; and the coller 3b in the opposite direction: As a result the abutment 31 engages one edge of the slot in the plate P and the pins 3i engage the other edge of the slot in such plate, and expand the plate forcibly within the plate holder, see Fig. 5, which plate holder is accurately bored on its inner surface to correspond with the desired exterior diameter of the tubular page plate when applied to a plate cylinder ready for printing, In this way the plate P is securely locked in the plate holder and must rotate therewith when motion is imparted to the plate holder from the shaft 5.

As the plate holder rotates the operator shifts lever 7g so as to engage clutch members 7, 71 and cause pinion 7 to move rack bar 6 in a direction to cause tool holder 8 to traverse along bar 6 and through the plate holder and plate. The cutters 8a are so adjusted that they will accurately dress or shave the interior of the plate P as they move therethrough, so that the plate P will lit accurately upon the plate cylinder when applied thereto. After the cutters 8 have finished their work the clutch members 7, 7c1 are disengaged and the weight 6 will immediately retract the rack bar 6 and withdraw tool holder 8 from the plate holder. In order to prevent jar when the tool holder or shaver is retracted, the Weight 6e may be set in a verticaltube ,GPvvhich is open at top and closed at bottom, but has a large opening 6 a fevv inches above its bottom, and a verysmall aperturefp at its bottom. *The Weight 6er may have a ring.Y or Washer 6rv on its lower end adapted to make a close fit in theptube. The parts are so constructed that the Weight 6e Will descend'rapidlyuntil it passesthe opening 60 and then it is checked by the airv confined in the tube which es capes slowly through the aperture 6I. and thus checks the fall of the Weight, and the parts are brought to a stop Without any shock. i

The operator can manipulate the slides 91and 9"., soas toy cause cutter 9 (or 9e) `to trim off the head and bevel the outer end of the tubular plate, and the cutter 9ml to bevelthe inner end of the plate either during or after the shaving operation. rIhe cutters 9 (or 9*?) and`9m are then retracted out of the'vvay. f l* When the rotation of the plate holder 8 is stopped, bolt 3g is turned so as `to cause abutment 3" and pins 3it`o release the fin#4 ished'iplate.' 'Then' thev operator grasps handle 101and m'oves ythe ejector rod 10 into the plate holder. The 5 rod 10 preferably has a cross piece or lug 10z near its inner end which is adapted to engage the edge of the plate While the `end of theV rod enters the plate, and the? cross piece `forcesthe iinished tubular 'plate endvvise 'out of the `holder ,until it can be readily grasped by the operator and removed. When' the pins 3i are released to permit the finished plate to beslid out, they are far enough back in slots 3 tol allow the next plate to enter. Both the slight spring'of the released plate and the twist `that the operator naturally gives such plate in Withdravving it by hand serve' to thrust the pins 31 back liush 'with the bar 31. Another plate may then beinsel-ted, shaved and trimmed in the manner described. v

That I claim is: f

1. In a machine for finishingk tubular plates, a cylindric plate holder, and means for expanding a`tubularplat`e Within said holder; With cutting tools mounted at opposite ends of the plate holder adapted vto trim the ends of the plate 4and means for reciprocating said cutting tools.

2. In fa machine for finishing tubular plates, a cylindric plate-holder, means for securing a tubular-plate therein, ya shaver for operating on the tubular-plate Within the holder, and means for moving said shaver longitudinally of the holder to shave the tubular-plate; With a cutting tool at each end of the holder adapted to trim the ends of the tubular plate, and means for reciprocating said cutting tools.

3. In a machine for finishing tubular stereotype plates, a cylindric plate-holder, means for securing a tubular-plate therein, a noni-rotatable shaver for operating on the tubular-plate'Within the holder, and means for` yinov'ing said shaver longitudinally of the holder during the rotation of the tubular-plate by the holder; with a cutting ltool at each-end of the holder adapted to trim the ends of the tubular-plate, and jmanually operable means for reciprocating said cutting tools.-

el; In a machine for nishing tubular stereotype plates, a cylindric plate-holder adapted to contain a slotted tubular plate, a collar rotatably mounted on said holder, an abutment Within the holder, pins attached to said collar and projecting into said holder adjacent the abutment, said pins and abutment being adapted to engage the opposite edges of the vslot in a tubular plate inserted in said holder, and means for turning the collar relative to the holder tol cause the abutment and pins to expand the tubular plate. 4 y

5. In a machine for nishing tubular stereotype plates, a cylindric plate-holder adapted to contain a slotted tubular plate, an abutment in said holder adapted to engage one edge of a yslot in the plate, means in said holder fory engaging the opposite edge of theplate, and means for causing said devices and abutment to separate so as to forcibly expand the plate in the holder; with cutters mounted at the ends of the holder and adapted to trim the edges of the plate While held in the holder; and means for shifting said cutters. A

6. In a machine for finishing tubular stereotype plates, a cylindric plate holder adapted to contain a slotted tubular plate, an abutment in said holder adapted to engageone edge of a slot in the plate, means in said holder for engaging the opposite edge ofthe plate, and means for causing said devices and abutment to separate so as to forcibly expand the plate `in the holder; and a shaver adapted to traverse the holder and plate; cutters mounted on the frame at the ends of the holder adapted to trim the edges of the plate While held in the holder, and means for shifting said cutters. 7. In a machine for finishing tubular stereotype plates, a cylindric plate holder adapted to contain a slotted tubular plate, a collar rotatably mounted on said holder, an abutment Within the holder, pins attached to said collar and projecting into said holder adjacent the abutment, said pins and abutment being` adapted to engage the oppositel edges of the slot in a tubular plate inserted 'in said holder; and means for turning the collar relative to the holder to cause the abutment and pins to expand the plate; with a shaver adapted to traverse the holder and plate.

8. In a machine for finishing tubular stereotype plates, a cylindric plate holder adapted to contain a slotted tubular plate, a collar rotatably mounted on said holder, an abtument Within the holder, pins attached to said collar and projecting into said holder adjacent the abutment, said pins and abutment being adapted to engage the opposite edges of the slot in a tubular plate inserted in said holder; and means for turning the collar relative to the holder to cause the abutment and pins to eX- pand the plate; with a shaver adapted to traverse the holder and plate; and cutting and trimming tools mounted on the frame at the ends of the holder adapted to trim the edges of the plate While held in the holder.

9. In a machine for finishingl tubular stereotype plates, the combination of a cylindric plate holder adapted to contain a slotted tubular plate, a collar adjustably mounted upon said holder, a lug on the holder projecting through a slot in said collar, a bolt tapped through a lug on the collar adapted to engage the -lug on the holder; an abutment within the holder adapted to engage one edge of a slot in the plate, and .pins attached to said collar and projecting through slots in the holder and adapted to engage the opposite edges of the plate whereby the plate may be expanded and secured Within the holder.

10. In a machine for finishing tubular stereotype plates, the combination of a cylindric plate holder adapted to vcontain a slotted tubular plate, a collar adjustably mounted upon said holder, a lug on the holder projecting through a slot in said collar, a bolt tapped through a lug on the collar adapted to engage the lug on the holder; an abutment Within the holder adapted to engage one edge of a slot in the plate, and pins attached to said collar and projecting through slots in the holder and adapted to engage the opposite edge of the slot in the plate whereby the plate may be expanded and secured Within the holder; with a shaver adapted to traverse the holder and plate; and cutters mounted at the ends of the holder and adapted to trim the edges of the plate While held in the holder, and means for shifting said cutters.

11. In a machine for iinishing a tubular stereotype plate, a rotary cylindric plate holder `adapted to contain a tubular plate, means for shaving said plate; and an ejector for removing the finished plate from the holder.

12. In a machine for iinishing tubular stereotype plates, a tubular-plate holder, means for expanding a tubular-plate Within said holder, and means for shaving the plate; With means for ejecting the iinished plate from the holder.

13. In a machine for finishing tubular stereotype plates, a tubular-plate holder, and means for expanding a tubular-plate Within said holder; with a slidable bar adapted to eject the plate from the holder, and a lever for operating said ejector bar.

11i. In combination, a tubularplate holder, means for expanding a slotted tubular stereotype plate therein, means for rotating said holder and plate, a non-rotatable shaver, and means for reciprocating said shaver through the plate as the latter is rotated; with a plate cutting tool at each end of the holder and manually operable means Jor independently moving said cutting tools to and from the plate.

15. In combination, a tubularplate holder, means for rotating said holder, means for securing a slotted tubular stereotype plate therein and expanding it so as to hold its type face in close contact with the inner Wall of the holder, a shaver, and means for reciprocating said shaver axially of the holder; and a slidable bar for ejecting the finished plate from the holder.

16. A machine for iinishing stereotype plates comprising a rotatable cylinder adapted to contain a single-page slotted tubular-plate, means for securing and expanding such plate in said cylinder, and gearing for rotating said cylinder; with a iixed bar extending axially through said cylinder, a shaver carrying slide on said bar, means for reciprocating said slide on said bar as the cylinder rotates, to cause the shaver to shave the plate; a transversely movable slide adjacent each end of said cylinder, and a cutting and trimming tool carried by each slide and adapted to operate on the plate While the cylinder rotates.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my oWn, I aihx my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY F. BECHMAN.

vWitnesses i IRvrNG K. STONE, H. B. FAULKNER.

kCopies of lthis patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

